The democratic process has taken its course; Donald J. Trump has been elected our next president.His victory in the Electoral College clearly establishes his presidency, but his significant loss in the popular vote underscores the deep divisions that scar the country.

While we recognize the outcome, we note that the campaign was filled with ugly, divisive rhetoric that pitted group against group and brought out the worst in many of our fellow citizens.Since Mr. Trump’s election, there have been widespread reports of harassment of Muslims, blacks, women, and gays and lesbians in a manner suggesting that some believe the election granted license for such action; some of the harassers have explicitly invoked Mr. Trump’s name.

In his victory speech, Mr. Trump said that he intends to be “president for all Americans” and that it is “time for America to bind the wounds of division [and] come together as one united people.”We urge Mr. Trump to act upon those words and to speak out, clearly and forcefully, in favor of those ideals and against the acts of harassment and intimidation that have been carried out in his name.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all people are created equal, and that they are endowed with certain unalienable rights, including the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.We worry that Mr. Trump called these rights into question during the course of the campaign.We therefore look uncomfortably to the weeks and months ahead.

As teachers, we cannot expect students to live and work in a climate of insecurity about who they are and what they believe.Such a climate chills the freedom of speech that is essential to learning and is, of course, the lifeblood of our democracy.We are concerned that proposed changes in gun-carry laws that will bring more guns to campuses will only exacerbate the climate of insecurity and will undermine the process of teaching and learning.We are concerned about the future of academic freedom and freedom of the press, which have contributed fundamentally to the vibrancy of American democracy and which Mr. Trump has called into question in some of his remarks.

As researchers and scholars who study social life, we worry that Mr. Trump has been so dismissive of facts in the course of the campaign. It is encouraging that his first major policy proposal since the election, a $1 trillion infrastructure program that will create many well-paying jobs and rebuild our crumbling roads, bridges, and tunnels, has had the support of informed observers across the political spectrum. We are deeply concerned, however, that during the course of the campaign Mr. Trump has dismissed climate change as a hoax and threatened to abandon a number of measures of supreme importance for the future of life on the planet.We urge Mr. Trump to reverse that unfounded position and immerse himself in the scientific literature on global warming.

More generally, Mr. Trump has suggested actions which would limit women’s health choices, dismantle the Affordable Care Act that has provided millions of people with health insurance that they previously lacked, ignore clearly documented biases in the administration of criminal justice, address illegal immigration by building a wall between the United States and Mexico, and compel Muslims to register as such with the government.

In each of these areas, and others besides, we, as researchers, academics, and practitioners, should welcome the opportunity to offer our expertise to help ensure that the concrete measures taken in the coming days and months are conducive to serving the “millions of hard-working men and women who… want a better, brighter future for themselves and for their families,” whom Mr. Trump has said he wants to help.

We hope that many of you will join me and members of the ESS Executive Committee at a special session at the upcoming Annual Meeting of our society in February.There we will discuss with experts, colleagues, and students how our roles should take form. The session will provide an opportunity for us to affirm that we will be watching carefully to see whether the new administration fulfills its promises to improve the lives of all Americans, and that we intend to respond forcefully where we believe his initiatives fail to fulfill those promises.

The Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Ohio University invites applications for a full-time tenure-track Assistant Professor of Sociology with specialization in social inequality and quantitative methodology. Ideal candidates will conduct innovative research in the area of social inequality and be committed to excellence in both undergraduate and graduate teaching. The successful candidate will be expected to teach a foundation course in social inequality and social change, courses in their area of specialization, as well as upper-level and graduate courses in quantitative methods and data analysis. The position start date will be August 2017. To apply online, go to http://www.ohiouniversityjobs.com/postings/20438 and submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae, research statement, statement of teaching philosophy, evidence of teaching effectiveness such as course evaluations and/or peer observations (attached as a combined pdf file under “Other” document type), one sample syllabus, and contact information for three professional references.

A Ph.D. in Sociology or a closely related field is required by the start date. Review of application materials will begin on October 1, 2016 and the position will remain open until filled. Applications received by October 15, 2016 will receive full consideration. Questions may be directed to Dr. Cindy Anderson, Professor and Search Committee Chair, at andersc2@ohio.edu. All positions require final university approval. Housed in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology (https://www.ohio.edu/cas/socanth/), the Sociology Program consists of 15 full-time faculty, 26 Master’s students, and over 425 undergraduate majors and 65 minors. Cores areas of teaching and research excellence in the department include criminology, social change, and social inequality. Faculty teach two courses per semester and maintain active research programs. Ohio University http://www.ohio.edu) is a Research Extensive institution that serves 23,700 students on a residential campus in Athens, Ohio, a college town seventy-five miles southeast of Columbus, Ohio.

This position provides a competitive salary plus excellent benefits including educational benefits for employee and eligible dependents. Ohio University is committed to creating a respectful and inclusive educational and workplace environment. We are an equal access/equal opportunity and affirmative action employer with a strong commitment to building and maintaining a diverse workforce. Women, persons of color, persons with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Ohio University is a member of the OH/Western PA/WV Higher Education Recruitment Consortium. http://www.ohwpawvherc.org

]]>ESS-ORN Committee Callhttp://www.essnet.org/ess-orn-committee-call/
Mon, 03 Oct 2016 16:03:36 +0000http://www.essnet.org/?p=4531Here is an opportunity to make a contribution to the ESS, your colleagues and ultimately to yourself by helping to organize a vibrant group for retirees and those contemplating retirement in the ESS. Regional associations have a special role to play in the life of retirees since many cannot travel to national meetings. In addition, regionals facilitate maintaining professional ties with nearby colleagues one may not otherwise see.

A new committee ESS-ORN (Opportunities in Retirement Network) is being formed and we ask you to consider serving on the Acting Advisory Board for 2017-2018. This will entail attending a meeting at the annual ESS meetings in Philadelphia, February 23rd-26th, 2017 and email contact after that. As noted in the formal proposal below, we will organize the 2018 workshop and act as a nominating committee for 2018 ESSORN committee elections.

If you are interested or have any questions, please send me an email by October 13, 2016profprager@aol.com. I hope to hear from you.

Susan B Prager, Ret. Brooklyn College/CUNY

PROPOSAL FOR ESS-ORN

ESS-ORN (Opportunities in Retirement Network) will be a special committee formed under Article III section 3 of the constitution. The purpose is to learn about the interests and needs of ESS members who are retired or contemplating retirement, to represent and further these needs in the ESS and provide a means for maintaining and furthering professional and social connections for retired members. It will also serve as a resource for those who are retired or contemplating retirement In addition it will further scholarship on aging and retirement by providing a forum for the discussion of ongoing research at our annual workshops.

Volunteers to serve on the acting advisory board will be recruited in early October 2016 and will meet at the ESS meetings in February. This group will organize the 2018 workshop and be the nominating committee for officers to be elected in 2018. Subject to the approval of the Acting Advisory Board, we will have a chairperson and a vice chairperson who will also serve as secretary treasurer and two members at large. Officers will serve for one year with the possibility of reelection. The board will also be responsible for recruiting new member to ESS-ORN by drafting an annual email blast to all ESS members each December.

Join a vibrant campus community whose excellence is reflected in its diversity and student success. The Department of Anthropology and Sociology at West Chester University of Pennsylvania invites applications for a tenure-track position in Sociology at the Assistant Professor level beginning fall of 2016. The Department seeks a Sociologist with research and teaching specialization in two of three of the following areas: social change, education, and economic sociology. Preference will be given to candidates that take a critical approach in their research and teaching. The successful candidate will also be expected to teach Introduction to Sociology and/or Sociology of the Family in the general education program. We expect the candidate to teach existing courses and develop new courses in their area of expertise. The ability to integrate technology in the delivery of course materials and teach online/hybrid courses is expected. This hire will enhance the Department’s mission to provide students with the ability to analyze structural inequalities, advance student knowledge of today’s human condition, and provide relevant skills for student success. The successful candidate will have demonstrated a commitment to working with a diverse student population. A PhD in Sociology is required by the start of the fall semester 2016, and candidates should have a strong record of teaching, research, and potential for publication.

Applications should include a curriculum vitae, a statement of interest, teaching philosophy, and a writing sample to our online application system at: http://agency.governmentjobs.com/wcupa/default.cfm. Three letters of recommendation should be emailed directly by the referees to search-sociology@wcupa.edu and include the applicant’s name on the subject line. Review of applications will begin November 30, 2015 and will continue until the position is filled. Candidates selected for campus interview will be expected to provide a teaching demonstration and a research presentation. Applicants must successfully complete this interview process to be considered finalists. The filling of this position is contingent upon available funding. All offers of employment are subject to and contingent upon satisfactory completion of all pre-employment criminal background and consumer reporting checks. Developing and sustaining a diverse faculty and staff advances West Chester University’s educational mission and Strategic Plan for Excellence. West Chester University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, veterans, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. West Chester University is a regional comprehensive institution that is the largest university in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. It has a population of over 16,600 graduate and undergraduate students and is located 25 miles west of Philadelphia and 120 miles from New York City and Washington, DC.